I was just fishing, how did I become a Great Old One?

Jianghai City, Deep Blue Plaza.

As night falls and the city lights come on, the entrance to Deep Blue Seafood Restaurant is even more bustling than during the day, despite being late at night. The "Starry Night Streetlight" hanging high in the center of the square emits a hazy and dreamlike glow, illuminating the entire neighborhood like a cyberpunk-style otherworld.

The air was filled with a domineering, strange smell that was a mixture of the aroma of sulfur and the spiciness of chili oil.

"Zzzzz—Boom!"

In front of the half-open kitchen window on the first floor of the seafood restaurant, diners and online celebrities holding up their phones to live stream were gathered.

Their cameras focused on a mysterious "chef" who was completely shrouded in a black cloak with eerie green flames burning under his hood.

【Flame Master - Volvardos】

This once mighty Great Old One, the Watcher of the Outer Darkness, was now holding tongs in one hand and a spice bottle in the other, expertly stir-frying strips of [Martian Tripe] on a huge iron plate.

"Excuse me! Excuse me! The fire's getting a bit too big!"

Vovados made a crackling sound (like the crackling of charcoal), then opened his mouth and blew.

"call--"

A burst of pure green divine fire shot onto the iron plate, instantly locking in the freshness of the tripe and bursting into a dazzling burst of flames.

Wow! That's so cool!

"Is this the legendary 'hellfire' cooking method?"

"I heard this chef has a terrible temper. Last time, a customer complained that the food was too bland, and he almost set his hair on fire!"

The onlookers gasped in amazement.

Vovadas was already numb to it.

Ever since it was captured by that terrifying human (Jiang Li), it had resigned itself to its fate. Rather than sleeping under that godforsaken ice cap, it was better to play with fire here. Besides... the wages this human offered (high-energy coal) were quite substantial.

Second floor, Chairman's office.

Jiang Li was sprawled on the sofa, drinking Starry Sky Energy Water while watching the surveillance footage downstairs.

"Not bad, not bad, Old Wo's skills are getting better and better, his control of the heat is superb."

Jiang Li nodded in satisfaction.

"It's just that the image is a bit too eerie. We'll have to make it a white chef's uniform to make it look clean and hygienic."

Beside him, Wang Ergou was hunched over the table counting money, his fingers almost cramping from counting.

"Boss, today's sales have broken records again! That 'Martian Tripe' alone is selling like hotcakes! We're running low on stock!"

"What's the rush? We can just restock when we run out."

Jiang Li remained calm.

"Since we know the way around, next time we'll dig up some roots of that Fusa (an ancient plant god from underground on Mars) and see if they taste like yams."

Just as the two were immersed in the joy of the harvest.

"Ring ring—"

The wind chimes at the door rang.

The sound wasn't loud, yet it eerily pierced through all the noise and clearly penetrated everyone's ears.

The noise in the hall disappeared instantly.

An indescribable sense of oppression, originating from the depths of the soul, enveloped the entire restaurant.

The Mad Hatter (the Yellow Priest), who had been swaying wildly, suddenly stopped and stiffened, shrinking into the corner. Arthur (the Paladin), who was wiping a plate, dropped it with a crash and shattered it. Even Vovados, who was playing with fire in front of the iron plate, suddenly contracted his flames and became dim.

"Woof..." (Some...some big trouble is coming...)

The big yellow dog, lying by the door, tucked its tail between its legs, buried its head in its paws, and didn't even dare to look up.

Jiang Li frowned and looked at the monitor screen.

A person walked in through the main gate.

He was a tall, thin man with dark skin. He wore a well-tailored yet extremely retro-styled black suit and held a cane inlaid with rubies. His face was handsome yet sinister, with a mocking smile always playing on his lips, and his eyes were so deep that they seemed to contain all the chaos and madness of the universe.

With each step he took, the surrounding space distorted slightly, as if the world was rejecting his existence, yet had no choice but to submit to him.

【Nyarlathotep】

One of the Three Pillar Gods, the Chaos of Subdued Movement, the God Without Form, the messenger and spokesperson of the Outer Gods.

He has countless incarnations, and this one is the famous Black Pharaoh.

"Oh? A big shot has arrived?"

Although Jiang Li sensed that something was wrong, his thought process was always different from others.

In his view (with a super filter), this dark-skinned handsome man, though with a somewhat gloomy aura, was dressed quite well, like an oil prince on an incognito visit, or the kind of food critic who specializes in finding fault.

"Ergou, stop counting the money and go down to greet the customer. This guy looks rich, don't neglect him."

Jiang Li kicked Wang Ergou, who was still trembling.

"Boss... my legs are weak..."

As a former cult member, Wang Ergou was most sensitive to this supreme, chaotic aura. The fact that he hadn't wet his pants was a testament to his exceptional mental fortitude.

"Promising!"

Jiang Li pursed her lips and stood up.

"I have to take matters into my own hands."

……

Lobby.

Nyarlathotep (the Black Pharaoh) gracefully walked to an empty table and sat down. He ignored the trembling diners and monster staff around him, and instead looked around at the decorations with great interest.

"Chairs made from the bones of the Deep Ones... an abacus made from Mi Goe's brain... and they even captured Vovados to be their cook..."

The Black Pharaoh chuckled softly, his voice carrying a magnetic, husky quality.

"Interesting, very interesting."

"On this tiny Earth, such a... 'disorderly' existence has actually been born."

He stretched out his long, slender fingers and tapped them lightly on the table.

"Where's the boss? Isn't he going to come out and greet the guests who have come from afar?"

"Here it comes! Sorry to keep you waiting!"

Jiang Li strode down the stairs with a warm, professional smile on his face.

"Sir, you look unfamiliar. Is this your first time here? What would you like to eat? We have many specialties here—anything that flies in the sky, swims in the water, burrows in the ground, or floats in outer space—we have it all!"

Jiang Li slammed a thick menu down in front of Black Pharaoh.

The Black Pharaoh raised his head, and his eyes, which seemed to hold the birth and death of billions of stars, gave Jiang Li a deep look.

He was trying to see through the true nature of this human being.

But to his surprise, he saw a mystery surrounding Jiang Li.

It was a kind of rule barrier that even he couldn't fully decipher... called "absolute appetite".

"Are you... a chef?" the Black Pharaoh asked.

"Genuine product, guaranteed." Jiang Li pointed to the business license and health permit on the wall.

"very good."

The Black Pharaoh didn't look at the menu; instead, he placed his cane aside and crossed his hands on his chin.

"I've heard you can do anything?"

"As long as it's an ingredient, there's nothing I can't make," Jiang Li said confidently.

"Alright then."

The Black Pharaoh's lips curled into a playful smile.

"I'm tired of those ordinary souls and flesh. I want to taste... the flavor of chaos."

"I want a dish that contains the bitterness of despair, the spiciness of madness, the emptiness of nothingness, and... the sweet aftertaste of destruction."

"The name is—【The End of Chaos】."

"Can you do it?"

The surrounding air instantly dropped to freezing point.

Everyone could tell that this was harassment! And the kind of harassment where they were going to smash up the store!

Chaos? Despair? Nothingness?

Is this a dish name? It's more like a philosophical question!

however.

After listening, Jiang Li was not angry at all. Instead, he stroked his chin and began to think seriously.

"Bitter... spicy... hollow... sweet aftertaste..."

He was muttering to himself.

A few seconds later, he clapped his hands suddenly.

"Got it!"

"You just want a hodgepodge that's 'strongly flavored,' 'rich in texture,' and 'has a messy appearance,' right?"

"Why bother with all those fancy terms? Just say you want a 'mixed stew,' and that's it!"

Black Pharaoh: "..."

A hodgepodge?

His supreme philosophical culinary creation, proposed by the dignified Chaos, has been translated into a mere stew.

"Sure! No problem! I'll take this order!"

Jiang Li put away the menu and turned to walk towards the kitchen.

"Just wait! It'll be ready in ten minutes! I guarantee you'll be so hungry you'll question your existence!"

……

back kitchen.

Jiang Li stood in front of the huge chopping board, his eyes becoming incredibly focused.

"If we're going to create chaos, then it has to be disorder! The more disordered, the better!"

"If you're going to despair, then you have to suffer!"

He began frantically rummaging through the freezers and storage compartments.

"First, the main ingredient!"

He took out a piece of [Tyrannosaurus Rex thigh meat] (representing primal wildness), then a piece of [deep-sea whale fat] (representing the weight of the deep sea), and then a piece of [Martian flesh sunflower] (representing alien beings from outer space).

"Cut it into pieces! Don't cut them too neatly, aim for that wild, unrestrained look!"

"Clang! Clang!"

The butcher's knife flashed, and various top-quality ingredients were cut into pieces of different sizes.

"Next comes the seasoning!"

"The bitterness of despair?"

Jiang Li took out a handful of [Abyss Bitter Gall Grass] (a kind of highly poisonous herb, but after processing it becomes an excellent bittering agent) and threw it into the pot.

"Incredibly spicy?"

He grabbed a handful of screaming ghost peppers (one of which can make you breathe fire for half an hour), along with some red spicy soil (rich in minerals) that he had just brought back from Mars, and dumped it all in.

"An empty void?"

Jiang Li thought for a moment and then took out the [Gluttony Cauldron].

"Use this cauldron to stew it! This cauldron can even swallow light; it's absolutely ethereal!"

"Finally, the sweet aftertaste after destruction?"

He took out the bottle of Ginseng Fruit Wine (made from the magic fruit of Kunlunxu) from his pocket.

"Pour in half a bottle! This sweetness could bring the dead back to life!"

Everything is ready.

Jiang Li looked at Vovados, who was trembling in the corner.

"Old Wo! Stop shaking! Come here and light the fire! Use your most powerful green divine fire! Stir-fry it over high heat!"

"Yes...yes..."

With tears in his eyes, Vovados exhaled a mouthful of primordial fire.

"boom!!!"

Green flames enveloped the black cauldron.

Inside the cauldron, countless ingredients from different planets and dimensions, each with its own interrelationships and mutual restraints, began to undergo violent chemical reactions... even nuclear reactions, under the influence of high temperatures and the power of rules.

Multicolored light burst forth from the mouth of the cauldron, accompanied by various strange screams and explosions.

"Add broth!"

Jiang Li poured a bucket of "Return Soup" (Water of Time) into it.

"Glug glug..."

A pot of "chaotic stew" that could poison an ancient god is ready.

The dish was an indescribably grayish-black color, with purple bubbles bubbling inside. It emitted a smell that was both fragrant and foul, bitter and sweet, enough to drive anyone insane just by smelling it.

"Perfect! This is—[Deep Blue Supreme: Chaos Hodgepodge]!"

Jiang Li filled a large basin with satisfaction.

……

hall.

The Black Pharaoh was idly toying with a fork, and the air around him began to crack from his impatience.

"The food is here!"

Jiang Li placed the large basin, which was still emitting eerie black smoke, in front of the Black Pharaoh.

"Sir, please enjoy your 'Disorderly End'."

The Black Pharaoh stared at the clump of pasty material in the basin, which was wriggling, changing color, and even whispering.

His pupils contracted slightly.

"this……"

As the embodiment of chaos, he actually sensed true... chaos in this dish?

That's not a simple mixture; it's a delicate and dangerous balance formed by forcibly kneading together dozens of completely conflicting rules.

It's like a miniature universe about to explode.

"interesting."

The Black Pharaoh picked up the spoon.

"If you're mocking me, I'll wipe you off along with this planet."

He scooped up a spoonful and put it in his mouth.

"boom!!!"

The moment it enters your mouth, your taste buds explode.

bitter!

That bitterness seemed to take him back to the very beginning of the universe, to that endless loneliness and coldness.

hot!

Then came a searing heat, like a star exploding, that ripped wildly at his nerves.

acid!

That is the bitterness of time passing by.

At last……

sweet!

An indescribable sweetness rose from the depths of my throat, like a new life after destruction, like a flower blooming on ruins.

Various flavors fought, battled, merged, destroyed, and were reborn in his mouth.

The Black Pharaoh's expression changed.

From indifference, to surprise, and then... ecstasy!

"Hahaha! Good! What a wonderful chaos!"

He slammed his hand on the table and burst into laughter.

"This is true chaos! This is true madness!"

"I have traveled through countless eras and eaten the offerings of countless civilizations, but never has any food made me feel the pain and joy of 'being alive' like this!"

He no longer cared about elegance, picked up the basin, and began to gulp down the food.

"Delicious! So delicious!"

Everyone around was stunned.

This intimidating big shot is actually eating something that looks like swill with such relish.

Jiang Li stood to the side with his arms crossed, a knowing look on his face.

"How about that? I wasn't lying to you, was I? A hodgepodge of ingredients is the ultimate expression of delicious food!"

A few minutes later.

The basin is upside down.

The Black Pharaoh wiped his mouth, still seemingly unsatisfied.

The chilling aura emanating from him had dissipated considerably, and his eyes held a hint of... contentment and languor.

"Chef, you win."

The Black Pharaoh stood up and straightened his suit.

"I'm very satisfied with this meal. As payment..."

He took a black card out of his pocket and placed it on the table.

The card features a swirling nebula design.

"What's this? A VIP card?" Jiang Li picked it up and looked at it.

"This is part of the ticket to the Courtyard of Azathoth..."

The Black Pharaoh gave a mysterious smile.

"However, you can't go there yet."

"This card has coordinates recorded on it. It's deep inside Jupiter's Great Red Spot."

"There is a... the biggest 'concert' in the entire universe about to take place."

"And the lead singer is the one you've been looking for all along... [Star Clan - Space Whale]."

"Go, the 'fish' there are bigger than you can imagine."

After he finished speaking, the Black Pharaoh's figure began to blur.

"Next time we meet, I hope you can bring me an even bigger surprise... like turning the dream of that 'God of Blind Fools' into a dessert?"

The laughter still echoed in the air, but the person had already disappeared.

Only the black card remained, gleaming eerily under the light.

"Jupiter? A concert?"

Jiang Li looked at the card, and his eyes lit up again.

"A space whale...it must be much bigger than a whale on Earth, right?"

"How thick must that meat be?"

He turned to look at Wang Ergou.

"Ergou! Stop spacing out!"

"Pass down the order! Fill the Black Pearl with fuel!"

"Next stop—Jupiter! Let's go to a concert! And while we're at it... let's catch a big fish to make soup!"